Archer&#39;s tab



March 14, 1961 J. K. WILSON EI'AL 4 3 ARCHER'S TAB Filed Sept. 27, 1957 INVENTORS JZICK #6 WILSON mom/vs w/zsa/v ATTOEN E Ys ARCHERS TAB Filed Sept. 27, 1957, Ser. No. 686,772

3 Claims. (Cl. 2-21) This invention relates to a tab to be used by archers. More particularly, the invention has reference to an improved device of this nature, which can be used with a conventional archers bow and .arrow.

In shooting or releasing an arrow from an archers bow, a shooting tab is conventionally employed to protect the fingers. In the past, the tab has been considered only as a protective device and not as an aid in promoting ac curacy of shooting.

The main object of the present invention is to provide for protection while at the same time affording greater accuracy.

Among more specific objects of the invention there are the following:

To provide a tab which will flex in a manner particularly designed to assure accurate release of the arrow without interference caused by stiffness or buckling of the tab;

To provide for swift, positive alignment of the tab with the string and arrow, to insure the location of the arrow and string relative to each other in such a way as to position the same for accurate release of the arrow;

To provide a stiffening means that will reinforce a flexible tab body while also serving as a positioning aid for the bowstring and arrow with relation to the tab;

To form the tab in a manner such that each portion of the body contacted by a finger will flex with the finger substantially independently of other portions, both when pulling the string to release position and during the actual release or shooting of the arrow; and e To permit the tab to be manufactured at low cost, while still being possessed not only of the desirable features indicated above but also of the ruggedness that will cause the same to withstand heavy use.

Other objects will appear from the following description, the claims appended thereto, and from the annexed drawing, in which like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the device as it appears when in use;

Figure 2 is a top plan View of the device in use;

Figure 3 is an enlarged front perspective view of the device per se;

Figure 4 is a rear perspective view of the device on the same scale as Figure 3; v

Figure 5 is a rear perspective view of a modified construction, on the same scale as Figures 3 and 4, with the loop-forming strap in open position;

Figure 6 is a rear perspective view of the device shown in Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a front perspective view of another modification; and

Figure 8 is a front perspective view of another embodiment of this invention.

Referring to the drawing in detail, a tab body 10 is formed of a strong, flexible material such vas leather, though any other material having the requisite characteristics can be used. Body 10 is approximately rectan- 4 2,974,319 Patented Mar. 14, 1961 p l C gular but the outer configuration might be varied within the scope of the appended claims. i

The body 10, as shown to best advantage in Figures 3 and 4, has at one side thereof a straight side edge 11, which extends in general parallelism with a bowstring, when the device is in use, that is, the edge 11 extends transversely of the index finger A, the second finger B, and the third finger C of the archers hand, with the body in overlying relation to said fingers as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Extending laterally inwardly from side edge 11 at locations spaced therealong, are slits 12, 14, respectively, extending slightly less than half the full transverse dimension of body 10. Slit 12 is progressively increased in width in a direction from its outer to its inner end, and thus defines at its inner end a relatively large opening which is adapted, in a manner to be made presently apparent, to receive the mock end of the shaft of an arrow.

Slit 14 is not increased in width, as will be noted, and has the purpose of permitting relative flexibility of the portions of the body immediately above and below the same, to allow said portions to flex with the respective fingers B, C. Still 12 also permits relative flexibility of the portions above and below the same to allow the same to -flex with fingers A, B and as previously notedhas the further function of providing a positioning opening for the arrow with respect to the fingers and to the bowstring.

A reinforcing strip 16, which may also be formed of a relatively heavy leather or similar material, extends the full distance from top to bottom of body 10, in parallel relation to side edge 11, in the general area of the inner ends of the slits 12, 14. Strip 16 has a recess 18, the

edge of which is registered with the inner end edge of slit 12 to provide clearance for an arrow while at the same time providing for a strong reinforcement of the edge portion of the arrow-receiving opening defined at the inner end of slit 12. 7

Strip 16 not only reinforces the body, but also has the specific purpose of reducing the flexibility of the body in the area covered by the strip.

Thus, the body can flex along lines paralleling the strip '16, particularly along that edge of strip'16 which is nearer the side edge 11. This is shown in Figure 2. Body 10 is caused by the strip, however, to have limited flexibility along lines aligned with or paralleling the length of slits 12, 14.

Means is provided, attached to the body, for forming one or more finger-receiving loops at the back of the body. Said means in the form of Figures 1-4 comprises a relatively wide strip 20 having its mid-length portion overlying the front surface of body 10 in closely spaced, parallel relation to strip 16 at the side of the strip opposite from slits 12, 14. The end portions ofstrip 20 project rearwardly outwardly from the top and bottom edges of body 10, and are overlapped as at 22. Formed in the overlapping ends are longitudinally spaced openings 24 (Figure 4), permitting adjustment of the overlapped ends of the strap longitudinally of each other, to increase or reduce, whichever is desired, the size of the finger-receiving loops provided at the back of the body.

A thong 26, which may also be of leather, is extended through openings 27 formed in the mid-length portion of strap 20 and registered with openings 29 of body 10. Thong 26 has its opposite ends extended through selected openings 24, so as to connect the overlapped, ends of strap 20 to each other. Then, the ends of the thong 26 are knotted together as at 25. i

The thong, thus, when extending through registering openings 27, 29 of strap 20 and body 10, effects the connection of these parts to each other. Strap 20, in the preferred embodiment, would further be connected to the body 10 by means of cement or the like.

Designated at 28'is a conventional arrow, the shaft of which has at its trailing end a neck adapted to receive a bowstring 30.

In use of the device, body 10 is in overlying relation to the index, second and third fingers A, B, C respectively, with said fingers extending through the three openings A, B, C respectively, defined by strap 20 and the end portions of thong 26.

As previously noted the slits 12, 14 provide for relative flexibility of the finger-overlying portions of the body adjacent said edge 11. Index finger A is adapted to flex with the portion of the body disposed above slit 12 in Figures 3-4. Second finger B flexes with the portion of the body defined between slits 12, 14, and third finger C flexes in the portion of the body disposed below slit 14 in Figures 3 and 4. The arrow shaft, as shown in Fig ure 1 in a typical arrangement, extends between the index and second fingers, and is loosely positioned through the enlarged inner end of slit 12. Bowstring 30 extends adjacent the bar or reinforcing strap 16, and accordingly, the fingers are fully protected from the bowstring. Further, the bowstring is accurately positioned between the slits and the reinforcing bar, extending parallel to side edge 11. Still further, said strip reinforces the device against flexure to a substantial degree along lines extending transversely of body 10. Nevertheless, full fiexure is permitted along lines paralleling strip 16. The recessing of strip 16 provides for effective reinforcement of the edge portion of the opening through which shaft 28 extends.

In this way, there is a positive alignment of the archers tab with the bowstring and the arrow, allowing for an accurate release position of the string and arrow. Also, the flexure of the tab is along lines to assure accurate release, and there is no interference from stiffness or buckling of the tab, such as has been found to be common in devices heretofore in use.

In Figures and 6, a modified construction is shown, wherein body a is of the same shape and flexibility as body 10. Strip 16 is secured thereto in the same manner as in the first form. Further, slits 12a, 14a, are provided, again exactly as in the first form.

In this form of the invention, however, transverse, vertically spaced slits 29a are formed in body 10a, instead of the small openings 29. A strap 20a extends through the slits, with its end portions each having a longitudinal series of openings 24a.

The end portions of the strap are overlapped as shown in Figure 6, and a short thong 26a is looped through selected, registering openings 24a and knotted. There is thus provided a finger-receiving loop, midway between the top and bottom edges of the body, which loop can be adjusted in size through the provision of the rows of openings 24a.

This arrangement permits the tab to be held against the hand by only the second finger B in the same position in which the first form of the invention is disposed. Otherwise, the invention is identical to the first form.

In Figure 7, another modification is shown in which the body 10b is formed with large openings 29b, adjacent the side edge remote from slits 12b, 14b. The strip 16b in this case is located similarly to the strip 16 of the first two forms of the invention. Openings 2% define loops receiving the index, second and third fingers. The upper small opening 29b receives index finger A while the larger opening receives second and third fingers B and C. The fingers extend through the loops from the front, and extend in back of the body in the same positions as shown in Figure 1.

As will be noted, slit 12b is not widened in the manner in which slits 12, 12a are widened or enlarged. Rather it is formed similarly to the slit 14b. The purpose of the slits is the same as in the first form, and the arrangement is one which would be intended for those archers who prefer to use the entire tab below t e www- It will further be noted that although the tab body has been shown as being of one-piece construction, it can be made either of one or of more pieces. This is believed sufiiciently obvious as not to require special illustration.

Still funther, although a narrow slit 12b has been shown only in the form of the invention in which the body itself has the finger loops, this slitting arrangement could be used in the form of the invention shown in Figure 4 and also in the form shown in Figure 6. Conversely, the enlarged slit construction shown at 12 and 12a can be used in the form of the invention shown in Figure 7, of course.

In still another form, one might omit the thong 26, so that there is a single large loop extending fully from top to bottom of body 10, defined by strap 20, which loop would receive all the fingers A, B, C.

Figure 8 illustrates another embodiment of this invention which is closely allied to the species thereof illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, inclusive. In this embodiment, the body is substantially rectangular in configuration and has at one side thereof a straight side edge 110, which extends in general parallelism with a bowstring, when the device is in use. As in the previous embodiment, slits 12c, 14c extend laterally and inwardly from the side edge 110, the slits extending slightly less than half the full transverse dimension of the body 100. The slit 12c is progressively increased in width in a direction from its outer to its inner end to define at its inner terminal end a relatively large opening to receive the nock end of the shaft of an arrow. The slit does not in crease in width and merely serves to increase the flexibility of the body 100 in the manner described above.

A reinforcing strip 166 formed of relatively heavy leather or similar material extends the full distance from the top to the bottom of the body 100, in spaced parallel relation to the side edge 11c and projects longitudinally from the inner ends of the slits 12c, 14c to the oppositely disposed side edge 400. The strip 16c has a recess 180, the edge of which registers with the inner end edge of the slit 12c.

In this embodiment of the invention the finger receiving strip 20c overlies the front surface of the reinforcing strip 16c and the thong 26c passes through the body 10c and the reinforcing strip 16c.

In all other respects the modification of this invention illustrated in Figure 8 is identical to the archers tab illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, inclusive.

It is believed apparent that the invention is not necessarilyconfined to the specific use or uses thereof described above, since it may be utilized for any purpose to which it may be suited. Nor is the invention to be necessarily limited to the specific construction illustrated and described, since such construction is only intended to be illustrative of the principles of operation and the means presently devised to carry out said principles, it being considered that the invention comprehends any minor change in construction that may be permitted within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An archers tab comprising a fiat rectangular sheet of limited flexibility, said sheet having parallel upper and lower edges, and leading and trailing edges, said sheet being limited in length to extend along only a major portion of the inner sides of an archers fingers, said sheet having an outer side to engage such fingers and an inner side, a vertically elongated, relatively narrow guard and reinforcing strip secured on the inner side of the body at a location intermediate the ends of the body, said strip dividing said body into forward and rear sections, said forward section terminating in said leading edge, said leading edge being substantially straight and disposed at right angles to said upper and lower edges, a lower horizontal slit formed in said forward section and opening to said leading edge, an upper slit formed 5 in said forward section and opening to said leading edge, and finger receiving means on said rear section.

2. An archers tab comprising a fiat rectangular sheet Olf limited flexibility, said sheet having parallel upper and lower edges, and leading and trailing edges, said sheet being limited in length to extend along only a major portion of the inner sides of an archers fingers, said sheet having an outer side to engage such fingers and an inner side, a vertically elongated, relatively narrow guard and reinforcing strip secured on the inner side of the body at a location intermediate the ends of the body, said strip dividing said body into forward and rear sections, said forward section terminating in said leading edge, said leading edge being substantially straight and disposed at right angles to said upper and lower edges, a lower horizontal slit formed in said forward section and opening to said leading edge, an upper slit formed in said fiorward section and opening to said leading edge, and finger receiving means on said rear section, comprising upper and lower holes formed in said rear section at the side of the "guard strip remote from the forward section.

3. An archers tab comprising a flat rectangular sheet of limited flexibility, said sheet having parallel upper and lower edges, and leading and trailing edges, said sheet being limited in length to extend along only a major portion of the inner sides of an archers fingers,

said sheet having an outer side to engage such fingers and an inner side, a vertically elongated, relatively nar-.

row guard and reinforcing strip secured on the inner side of the body at a location intermediate the ends of the body, said strip dividing said body into forward and rear sections, said forwardsection terminating in said leading edge, said leading edge being substantially straight and disposed at right angles to said upper and lower References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,200,580 Brenner Oct. 10, 1916 2,178,019 Knuteson Oct. 31, 1939 2,322,710 Eisendrath June 22, 1943 2,769,179 Love Nov. 6, 1956 2,834,018 F-armes May 13, 1958 OTHER REFERENCES Ben Pearson Archery Equipment Publication, page 13, #803, received in Division 62, August 28, 1954. (Copy available in Division 62.) 

